Self-discharging cigar or cigarette support for ash trays



May 24, 1955 2,708,938

V. FLOCC SELF-DISCHARGING CIGAR OR CIGARETTE SUPPORT FOR ASH TRAYS FiledMay 17. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. jfzceff Tf/ww,

May 24, 1955 v. FLocco 2,708,938 SELF-DISCHARGING CIGAR 0R CIGARETTESUPPORT FOR ASH TRAYs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 17, 1952 INVENTOIL7ce77i7accq,

SELF-DISCHARGING CSAR R CEGARETTE SUFPRT FR ASH TRAYS Vincent Fiocco,Newark, N. E.

Appiication May 17, 1952, Serial No. 288,441

7 Claims. (Cl. 1351-240) This invention relates to improvements in meansfor supporting a burning cigar or cigarette at the side of an ash tray;and the invention has reference, more particularly, to athermostatically actuated support or rest which is responsive to theheat of a burning cigar or cigarette, whereby to automatically dischargethe cigar or cigarette therefrom into the ash tray, thus avoidingfalling of said cigar or cigarette outwardly of the ash tray, andavoiding the risk of injury to furniture surfaces, or covers thereon,upon which the ash tray stands.

The invention has for an object the provision of a cigar or cigarettesupport or rest adapted to be mounted upon the side of an ash trayadapted to tilt from a normal horizontal cigar or cigarette supportingposition toward the ash tray interior, said support or rest beingprovided with releasable latch means for holding the same in a normalhorizontal cigar or cigarette supporting position, and with thermostaticmeans which is responsive to heat from the burning end of a cigar orcigarette deposited upon the support or rest, operative to trip thelatch means so as to release the support or rest for tilting movement,and thereby to discharge the burning cigar or cigarette into theinterior of the ash tray.

The invention has for another object the provision of a self-dischargingcigar or cigarette support or rest which can be detachably mounted uponthe side of an ash tray desired to be served thereby.

The above and other objects of this invention will be understood from areading of the following description of the invention in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of an ash tray upon the side of which is mounted aselfdischarging cigar or cigarette support or rest according to thisinvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the so mounted supportor rest, the ash tray being shown in section with part thereof brokenaway.

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the self-dischargingsupport or rest, drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a partialtransverse vertical sectional view, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing the thermostaticallycontrolled latch means released whereby to free the support or rest fortilting movement, to the cigar or cigarette discharging position shownby broken lines in this View.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but showing modified meansfor detachably mounting the support or rest upon a horizontal rimportion of an ash tray.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form and construction ofself-discharging cigar or cigarette support or rest as mounted on thehorizontal rim portion of an ash tray, part of said tray being brokenaway; Fig. 8 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the support orrest and ash tray of Fig. 7, drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. 9 is atransverse vertical sectional view, taken on line 9-9 in Fig. 8; andFig. 10 is a view similar to that of Fig. 8, but showing the support orrest released for tent O 'ice tilting movement, its cigar or cigarettedischarging tilted position being shown by broken lines.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, there is shown therein oneform of this invention, comprising a hollow frame member 11 formed by atop wall 12, side walls 13, and an outer end Wall 14. Said outer endwall 14 preferably terminates in a downwardly extending finger piece 15for purposes hereinafter explained. The inner end of said frame memberis open. Disposed to straddle said frame member 1l, adjacent to itsouter end, is a supporting yoke member 16 formed by a horizontal bottomwall portion 17 which spans the underside of said frame member, andupwardly extending side portions 18 which embrace the side walls 13 ofsaid frame member. The frame member 11 is pivotally supported betweenears 19 with which the side portions 18 of the yoke member 16 areprovided, and which are offset relative to the inner margin of thebottom wall portion 17 of said yoke member, whereby the frame member 11,when released, can tilt or swing down by gravitation of itsover-balancing inner end portion and parts carried thereby. The pivotalconnection between the yoke member 16 and frame member 11 comprisespartially threaded pins 2t) which are suitably aixed to said ears 19 soas to extend through the respective side walls 13 of the frame member(see Fig. 4). Mounted upon the top wall 12 of the frame member 11, inlongitudinally aligned relation thereto, is a transversely curved cigaror cigarette supporting plate 21.

The reference character 22 indicates a U-shaped therinostatic elementwhich is preferably of the bi-metallic type. The elbow portion 23 of thethermostatic element 22 is disposed in inwardly offset relation to theinner end of the supporting plate 2t. Extending outwardly from saidelbow end 23 is the upper arm 24 of the thermostatic element. This upperarm 2d is aligned with the plane of the bottom of the supporting plate21, and the inner end portion of the latter is provided with a notch 25to straddle said upper arm 2li. Formed in connection with the upper arm2a of the thermostatic element, inwardly of but adjacent to the innerend of the supporting plate 21, and preferably as integral partsthereof, are oppositely and laterally projecting upturned wings 26. Saidupper arm 24 of the thermostatic element terminates in a downwardlyoffset anchoring end portion 2'7 which underlies the top wall 12 of theframe member 11, and preferably a layer of suitable heat insulationmaterial 2.8 is interposed between said anchoring end portion 27 and thetop wall l2 of the frame member, which functions to prevent the transferof heat from the thermostatic element 22 to the supporting plate 2l,with resultant slowing of the expansion of said thermostatic elementunder heat applied thereto by the burning end of a cigar or cigarette inContact therewith. The superimposed parts of the supporting piate 21,top wail 12 of frame member 11, anchoring end portion 27 of thethermostat'ic element 22, and insulation member 2S when included, aresecured together by suitable fastening means,vsuch as rivets 29, wherebyto unite the supporting plate 21, frame member 11 and thermostaticelement 22. Also extending outwardly from the elbow end 23 is the lowerarm 39 of the thermostatic element, which extends into the interior ofthe frame member 1i.

Suitably affixed to the bottom wall portion 17 of the yoke member f6, toupst'and therefrom within the outer end interior of the frame member li,is a stationary apertured keeper plate 31. Pivotally mounted on a pintle32, which is aixed to and extends transversely between the side walls 13of the frame member 1l, is an oscillatable latch member 33 having anoffset chamfercd latch projection 34 adapted to normally engage in theaperture 31 of the keeper plate 31. The opposite portion of the latchmember 33 is provided with a cross-pin 35 which is mounted thereon so asto be disposed in offset relation to the pivotal connection of the latchmember with the pintle 32. Atiixed to the free end of the lower arm 3Qof the thermostatic element 22 is a slotted tumbler member 36 whichembraces and engages said cross-pin 35 of the latch member. When thethermostatic element cools, its contraction swings its lower armupwardly, thus raising the tumbler member 36 to thereby turn the latchmember 33 about the pivoting pintle 32 in a counterclocl wise direction,whereby to position the latch projection 34 for engagement in theaperture 31 of the stationary keeper plate 31 so as to lock the framemember and supporting plate assembly in normal horizontal cigar orcigarette supporting position and against tilting movement, when saidassembly is returned to such normal position (see Fig'. 3).

The self-discharging cigar and cigarette support or rest is preferablyprovided in a form adapted to be detachably mounted upon an ash tray.When furnished in such form, the same is provided with a suitable formof attachment clip to engage the rim of an ash tray so as to mount thesame in operative assembled relation thereto. An illustrative attachmentclip structure, which is adapted to engage a vertical rim portion 60 ofan ash tray 61 is shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, and comprises aninverted U-shaped clip member affixed by its closed end portion 37 tothe underside of the bottom wall portion 17 of the yoke member 16, sothat its resilient arms 3S depend from the latter for reception of thevertical rim portion 6i? of the ash tray 61 therebetween, thussupporting the self-discharging cigar or cigarette support or rest inoperative assembled relation to said ash tray.

Another illustrative attachment clip structure, which is adapted toengage a horizontal rim ange 62 of an ash tray 63, is shown in Fig. 6,and comprises a horizontally disposed U-shaped clip member 39 suitablyconnected, preferably integrally, with the yoke member 16 to extend fromthe outer end of the base thereof, and having a doubled back resilientarm 40 to grip the underside of the horizontal rim ange 62 of the ashtray 63 when disposed between the same and said yoke member 16, wherebyto support the self-discharging cigar or cigarette support or rest inoperative assembled relation to said ash tray 63.

The operation in use of the above described two embodiments of theself-discharging cigar or cigarette support or rest, shown in Figs. 1 to6 inclusive, is as follows:

When the frame member and supporting plate assembly is locked in itsnormal horizontal position, a burning cigarette or cigar can be laidthereon for support there-by, with its burning end inwardly directed inoverhanging relation to the exposed part of the thermostatic element 22.

In the position shown in Fig. 3, the supporting plate 21 and the framemember 11 are held stationary by the pins 20 and the pintle 32 and itsmounting means. The pins 20 pivotally mount the supporting plate 21 andthe frame member 11 in such manner that most of the weight isdistributed to the right of the pins 20, and is adapted to produce aclockwise turning movement about said pins 20. This movement iscounteracted by t'he keeper plate 31 which is apertured so as to be ableto receive and retain the latch projection 34 which is integral with thelatch member 33, the latter, in turn, being pivotally mounted on thepintle 32. The pintle 32 is mounted on the frame member 11. The latchmember 33 has another pin 3S which is engaged in the slot in the tumblermember 36, and said tumbler member 36 is fixed to the lower arm 30 ofthe thermostatic element 22, which is attached to the supporting plateand frame member. Upward pressure on the pin holds the latch projection34 in the aperture 31 in the keeper plate 3l. The keeper plate 31,

being immovably mounted on the supporting yoke member 16, normally holdsthe latch member 33 and the pin 35 stationary, and therefore thesupporting plate 21 and frame member 11 in a horizontal position.

As the burning end of the cigarette or cigar recedes and contacts thethermostatic element 22 (especially in the vicinity of the wings 26thereof which provide a substantial surface arca through which heat fromthe burning cigarette or cigar end is quickly transferred to saidthermostatic element), the heat transferred from the burning cigaretteor cigar end to the thermostatic element induces the latter to expand insuch manner as to cause the free lower arm 30 thereof to flexdownwardly. The down swinging movement of said lower arm 3) depressesthe tumbler member 36, thereby turning the latch member 33 about itspintle 32 in a clockwise direction so as to withdrawn the latchprojection 34 out of the aperture of the keeper plate 31, and thusfreeing the frame member and supporting plate assembly for tiltingmovement. Since the inner end portion of the pivoted frame member andsupporting plate assembly over balances its outer end portion, when saidassembly is released from latch member restraint, the same willimmediately tilt so as to downsWing its inner end portion, therebydischarging the burning cigarette or cigar into the ash tray interior(see Fig. 5). Removal of the burning cigarette from the supporting plate21 and from contact with the thermostatic element 22, allows the latterto quickly cool and contract so as to cause the latch member 33 toresume its normal position. Under these circumstances, by pressingdownwardly upon the finger piece 15, the frame member and supportingplate assembly can be swung back to its normal initial horizontalposition, during which movement the chamfered latch projection 34 willyieldingly pass over the free end of the keeper plate 31 so as to snapinto the aperture 31 of the latter, thus again locking the frame memberand supporting plate assembly in normaly initial position for receptionand support of a cigar or cigarette, and for repetition of thehereinabove described self-discharging operation.

Referring now to Figs. 7 to l0 inclusive, the same show a modifiedconstruction of the self-discharging cigar or cigarette support or restwhich embodies the essential principles of this invention. Thisembodiment of the invention comprises a hollow frame member 41 formed bya top wall 42, side walls 43, and an outer end wall 44. The inner end ofsaid frame member is open, and the top wall thereof is cut back toprovide an upwardly open space between the inner end portions of theside walls 43 of said frame member. Overlying the top wall 42 of theframe member 41, in longitudinally aligned relation thereto, is atransversely curved cigar or cigarette supporting plate 45. Provided inconnection with the inner end portion of said supporting plate, todepend from the bottom thereof, are a pair of laterally spaced perforatehinging ears 46, which extend downwardly through the aforesaid openspace into the interior of the frame member 41, respectively contiguousto the respective side walls 43 adjacent the inner open end of saidframe member. Supported by and between said side walls 43, so as toextend transversely through the perforate hinging ears 46 of thesupporting plate 45, whereby to hinge said supporting plate for tiltingmovement, is a pivot bolt 47 which is mounted across the frame member41, and so attached thereto as to be held against rotation. Thesupporting plate is biased for up-tilting movement about the pivot bolt47 by a torsion spring 48; one end of said spring being anchored to thebolt 47, and its other end being engaged with a thrust transmission stud49 which is affixed to and which projects laterally from an adjacenthinging ear 46 of the supporting plate. Attached to the supporting plate45, to depend from the bottom thereof adjacent to its outer end, is anotched catch piece 50. This catch piece 50 extends downwardly throughan opening 51 in the top wall 42 of the frame member 41, when thesupporting plate occupies a normal initial horizontally disposedposition overlying the frame member.

The reference character 22. indicates the thermostatic element of theaforesaid modified construction of the self-discharging cigar orcigarette support or rest, and substantially corresponds in form andarrangement to that of the tirst described embodiment of this invention,as is indicated by correspondingly applied reference characters, thesame being aiiixed by the anchoring end portion 27 of its upper arm 24,together with interposed heat insulation material 28, to the undersideof the top wall 42 of frame member 41 by rivets 29, or other suitablefastening means. The lower arm 343 carries the tumbler member 36 whichcontrols the pivoted latch member 33, the latch projection 34 of whichengages the notched catch piece Si) of the supporting plate 45, wherebyto lock the latter in normal horizontal disposition for cigar orcigarette support (see Fig. 8). The frame member 4l can be detachablymount'ed in connection there with by means of a spring clip arm 52extending from the outer end wall 44 of the frame member fil andinwardly beneath the latter. This form of attachment clip is adapted tohold the self-discharging cigar or cigarette support or rest in attachedrelation to a horizontal rim flange 62 of an ash tray 63.

The operation in use of the last described embodiment of theself-discharging cigar or cigarette support or rest is as follows:

When the supporting plate 45 is locked in normal horizontal position, tosupport a burning cigarette e. g., as the burning end of the cigaretterecedes and contacts the thermostatic element 22, the heat transferredto said thermostatic eleme-nt expands the latter in such manner as tocause the tumbler member 36 to turn the latch member 33 so as todisengage the catch piece 50, and thus release the supporting plate 45.When the supporting plate is thus released, the same will be quicklyup-tilted by the action of the torsion spring 48, thereby overturningand flinging the burning cigarette from the supporting plate 45 into theinterior of the ash tray (see Fig. l0). After such discharge of theburning cigarette, the thermostatic element 22 will quickly cool andthereby return the latch member 33 to its original position, whereupon,by pressing down the outer end of the supporting plate 45, the same canbe returned to normal initial horizontal position, whereby to reengageits catch-piece 50 with the latch member 33, thus again locking thesupporting plate ready for reception and support of a cigar orcigare-tte, and for repetition of the described self-dischargingoperation. This last described embodiment of the self-discharging cigaror cigarette support or rest is well adapted for use in connection withboth deep and shallow ash trays.

I am aware that various changes could be made in the devices and partsof the above described structures and that other embodiments of thisinvention could be made without departing from the scope thereof asdefined by the following claims. lt is therefore intended that theembodiments of the invention hereinabove described and shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

l. A self-discharging cigar or cigarette rest for an ash tray comprisinga stationary member adapted to be mounted on the ash tray, a cigar orcigarette support pivotally connected with said stationary member so asto be tiltable about its pivotal connection therewith from a cigar orcigarette supporting position to a position for discharging thesupported cigar or cigarette therefrom into the ash tray, releasablelatch means for normally holding said support in cigar or cigarettesupporting position, said latch means comprising an oscillatable latchmember pivotally mounted in connection with the stationary member andmeans adapted to releasably engage the stationary member to normallyhold said cigar and cigarette support in said supporting position, athermostatic element axed to said support with a portion thereofextending beyond the latter for exposure to heat from a burning cigar orcigarette deposited on said support, said thermostatic element having amovable arm adapted to flex in response to applied heat, and saidmovable arm and said latch member having cooperative interengaged meansoperative to transmit liexing movement of the movable arm to the latchmember, so as to turn the later about its pivot to a releasing position,and thus free the support for cigar or cigarette discharge tiltingmovement.

2. A self-discharging cigar or cigarette rest for ash trays comprising astationary member adapted to be mounted on an ash tray, a hollow framemember pivotally connected with said stationary member, a superposedcigar or cigarette supporting plate assembly carried by said framemember, the frame member and supporting plate assembly being tiltableabout the pivotal connection of the frame member with the stationarymember from a cigar or cigarette supporting position to a position todischarge the cigar or cigarette therefrom into the ash tray, a U-shapedthermostatic element having its upper arm affixed to the frame member,said thermostatic element having an elbow projecting beyond the innerend of the frame member and supporting plate assembly subject to theinuence of heat from a burning cigar or cigarette deposited on thesupporting plate, the lower arm of said thermostatic element extendinginto the interior of said frame member and being adapted to flex inresponse to temperature changes, an apertired keeper plate attached tosaid stationary member and extending to the interior of the framemember, a latch member pivotally supported within the frame member andengageable with said apertured keeper plate, whereby to hold said framemember and supporting plate assembly in cigar or cigarette supportingposition, and a tumbler member carried by the movable arm of thethermostatic element and cooperative with said latch member adapted torelease the same from said apertured keeper plate upon flexing of themovable arm of the thermostatic element in response to heat, whereby tofree said frame member and supporting plate assembly for cigar orcigarette discharge tilting movement.

3. A self-discharging cigar or cigarette rest for ash trays according toclaim 2, wherein the upper arm of the thermostatic element is providedwith oppositely and laterally projecting upturned wings outwardlyadjacent to the inner end of the supporting plate.

4. A self-discharging cigar or cigarette rest for ash trays according toclaim 2, including heat insulating means interposed between the framemember and the upper arm of the thermostatic element which is aixedthereto.

5. A self-discharging cigar or cigarette rest for ash trays comprising astationary member adapted to be mounted on an ash tray, a supportingplate superposed upon said stationary member, means pivotally connectingthe supporting plate to the frame member to tilt from a cigar orcigarette supporting position to a position discharging the cigar orcigarette therefrom into the ash tray, spring means adapted to imparttilting movement to said supporting plate, a catch piece dependent fromthe supporting plate adapted to enter the stationary member when thesupporting plate is superposed in normal position upon the latter, aU-shaped thermostatic element having an upper arm affixed to thestationary member, said thermostatic element having an inner elbow endprojecting beyond the inner end of the supporting plate subject to theinfluence of heat from a burning cigar or cigarette deposited on saidsupporting plate, said thermostatic element having a lower arm extendinginto the interior of said stationary member and being adapted to flex inresponse to temperature changes, a latch member pivotally supportedwithin the stationary member and engageable with the supporting platecatch piece, whereby to lock the supporting plate against the tension ofsaid spring means, and a tumbler member carried by the lower arm of thethermostatic element and cooperative with said latch member to releasethe same from the supporting plate catch piece upon flexing of saidlower arm of the thermostatic element in response to heat, whereby tofree the supporting plate for cigar or cigarette discharge tilt ingmovement.

6. A self-discharging cigar or cigarette rest for ash trays according toclaim 5, wherein the upper arm of the thermostatc element is providedwith oppositely and laterally projecting upturned wings outwardlyadjacent to the inner end of the supporting plate.

7. A self-discharging cigar or cigarette rest for ash trays according toclaim 5, including heat insulating means interposed between thestationary rnernber and thc upper arm of the thermostatic element whichis aflixed thereto.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,032,536 Horwitt et al Mar. 3, 1936 2,034,710 Carlson Mar. 24, 19362,210,207 Grantham Aug. 6, 1940 2,244,149 Grantham June 3, 19412,272,084 Clapp Feb. 3, 1942 2,644,466 `Tennings July 7, 1953 2,644,468Kenes July 7, 1953

